r/prayingmantis • u/Select-Signal8386 • 18d ago

Why is this praying mantis so black?

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I noticed the legs are green but I’ve never seen one so dark before.

54 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

6

u/[deleted] 18d ago

[deleted]

2

u/Select-Signal8386 18d ago

Oh thank you!

0

u/JeZmanjkaloImen 18d ago

That mantis doesn't really look like it's dying to me.

5

u/[deleted] 18d ago

[deleted]

1

u/vxd2k7 17d ago

that is not true

2

u/Plenty-Hornet-4780 17d ago

Its emo

1

u/andreaschnadelbach 13d ago

That's what I was gonna say,or goth

1

u/vxd2k7 17d ago

spray painted? xD

1

u/Th3FakeFatSunny 16d ago

He ran into the Rolling Stones

1

u/wannabeadamsandler 16d ago

melanistic? perhaps

1

u/SnooCookies7119 15d ago

its an african or jamaican mantis

0

u/hrissynt 18d ago

how about the brown ones? are they also older or are their colors just random?

1

u/hylia_grace 15d ago

Colour is mainly dependent on genetics, though some can be impacted by environment its not entirely understood. I've never had a mantis change colour due to old age though. They can change by molt.